Question

For these were the first two stops on the Underground Railroad—going North, from the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Thus Harriet learned that the Underground Railroad that ran straight to the North was not a railroad at all. Neither did it run underground. It was composed of a loosely organized group of people who offered food and shelter, or a place of concealment, to fugitives who had set out on the long road to the North and freedom.

–Harriet Tubman,
Ann Petry

Questions:

What is Petry’s main purpose in this excerpt from Harriet Tubman?

to criticize the organization of the Underground Railroad
to thank the people who ran the Underground Railroad
to teach readers about the Underground Railroad
to encourage readers to visit stops along the Underground Railroad

Answer 1

To teach readers about the Underground Railroad. This excerpt from Harriet Tubman explains to readers that the Underground Railroad was not actually a railroad but rather a loosely organized group of people who provided assistance, such as food and shelter, to slaves attempting to escape to freedom in the North.